The Girl That Peter Pan Forgot
by Little Miss Cumberbatch
Summary: Alice waits for the boy who never grew up. But will he arrive to take the next generation of the Darling family to Neverland? Will Alice get the thrilling adventure that her mother, Jane, and Grandmother, Wendy had? (Based on the Disney Peter Pan films)
1. Chapter 1

I'm waiting.

Anxiety rises and bubbles inside me as I stay sitting on my window seat, staring into the darkness of night. Will he even come? Everything is still, and quiet. Every so often, the moonlight catches a puddle in the cobbled streets and I see a glimmer but it proves not to be magic at all. At first, I thought it was magic; I thought it was a sign, but the moon keeps shining, the puddle keep glimmering, and nothing else follows.

It's getting late.

The excitement is still there, and I keep hoping that I was right earlier, that the argument this evening had a purpose, and the purpose was to show them up. No one believes me, but this time I am certain that he'll arrive. A drop of rain falls from the sky and hits a puddle below. Is this a sign? I look up but see only clouds. Even the stars have been covered by the thickness of it. Smoke rises up from chimneys and joins the cloud in the dull, grey sky. But there's something beyond them which shines through. A star. Two stars. One shines slightly brighter than the other. This is it. This is the sign. I knew it. It had to be tonight. But where is he?

My eyelids are getting heavy.

It feels like hours since I noticed the star and nothing has happened. Not another sign, not another star, not anything. I've waited and I've tried to prove to them that he's coming. It's always when they're my age. When they're young; when they're still children. I'm growing fast and he still hasn't arrived but I got this feeling today, before the argument, and I've never felt it before. It was like there was something inside me, sparkling, fizzing, bubbling, glowing. It felt like magic. Mother said she never felt that, and neither did Gran, but that doesn't mean it's the same for everyone. My limbs are starting to droop and become weary. It feels as though time is going so slowly, and the clock is taking ages to tick and mark each second as it passes. I don't want to fall asleep tonight. I don't want it to happen. I don't want to be her…

The girl that Peter Pan forgot.


	2. Chapter 2

My eyes open.

It's still dark, but the sky is much clearer now. I sit up as quickly as I can. I swore that I wouldn't fall asleep. I could have missed it. He may have come and gone because he saw me asleep. I feel a lump in my throat. That's it. I've probably missed my chance now because I had a nap. Anger rages inside of me like a wild beast, untamed and ready to attack, yet tears start streaming down my face. I don't know what to feel; how to react to the fact that I've probably blown all my chances of seeing him; of having the adventures that my family have had; of flying across Neverland with the boy who never grew up. I've blown it all.

The wind picks up.

I'm cold. I'm hot. I'm scared. I'm angry. I'm upset. I'm everything, and it feels wrong. I've never been so annoyed in my life. I take a deep breath. As I breathe out, I try to imagine letting out all the anger and bad feelings, just to see if I have any hope still left in me. He could come… I might not have missed my chance… He might not have come yet… But he probably has. And that's it. No Peter. No Tinkerbell. No lost boys. No Hook. Nothing. The stories my mother and grandmother have told me will live on forever, but I won't have a story. I am the generation that was skipped out… all because I closed my eyes. I don't even remember the dream…

The sky clears.

I turn away from the window. As I sit on the window seat I stare at my cream carpet. This is the only Neverland I'll ever know. An idea pops into my mind. If I can't go to Neverland, I'll bring Neverland to me. I walk over to my bed and pull out the box of matches from under my bedside drawers. I hide them there in case Mother comes in and takes them. I tell her I won't burn myself or be silly, but she doesn't believe me. I strike the match against the side of the box and it lights first time. I carefully light my bedside candle and blow the match out. I place the burnt match back in the box and push the box back under my drawers. There is a little more light in my room now. I remember the other candle on my desk and use my bedside candle to carefully light it. I place the bedside candle back and I now have a room with plenty of light, but not enough for anyone to notice as they walk past my bedroom door. I now create my Neverland.

Stars shine brighter.

I kneel on my bed, looking out to see if there are any mermaids. As I leap of my bed I dive into the cream-carpet-sea. My swimming skills are much better here than in water. The temperature's better too. As I swim I suddenly notice Hook's bed-ship in the distance. I swim further away to my wardrobe-cave and quickly dive into it, shutting the doors behind me. Although everyone else says I'm too old for pretend games, I don't listen to them. I peek through my wardrobe doors and see the ship getting closer until it stops and Captain Hook jumps off the ship onto the sand. I slowly creep out of the cave when he has his back turned and climb aboard his own ship! He sees me and runs towards me, so I grab my hairbrush-sword and I am ready to fight. My sword fighting skills are the best in the whole of Neverland and I defeat him within minutes of starting the battle. I watch as his crew run off back into the sea and swim their way to safety on another island, and-

I see a shadow in the window.


	3. Chapter 3

I freeze.

Staring at the window, I slowly get off my bed. That was definitely something. Something moved. Something was just there, moving outside my window. My room is upstairs so nothing normal could possibly be seen from in front of my window. I drop my hairbrush onto the bed and start creeping up to my window. I don't know what to feel. There are hundreds of emotions inside me now, but all I can feel is excitement and fear. I guess it depends who's at the window. If it's Peter, then excitement, but if it's Hook, then fear. But then again, it could just be nothing…

A tap on the window.

I stop once more. I felt slightly apprehensive as I approached the window. This was the moment I had been waiting for, was it not? So why am I doubting whether I should open the window? Why am I questioning the dream I've had ever since I can remember? Something inside me was making alarm bells ring in my head. But I couldn't let that phase me, so I kept walking until I reached the window. My curtains were only open slightly so I held on tight to them. Ready? 1… 2… 3-

Darkness.

Nothing was there. It was all in my head. I must have got too involved in the game I was playing to actually imagine hearing the window tap. Well that's it. All I can see is the other houses, all in darkness. There isn't a sign of life in the whole town, as far as I can see. Even the fields beyond look deserted and lifeless. I've never seen the town looking so dull… and sinister. I realise that every house, every street, every corner, every inch of the town looks eerie. I realise that I've stopped breathing for too long and I take a big breath. I was in such suspense I forgot to breathe. I'm suddenly very hot and disappointed, so I violently grab onto the handle of my window and push it open, letting it swing out. The cool air of winter hits my face and I feel calmer already. I think it's best if I just went to bed and apologise to mother in the morning. I lean out of my window and grab hold of the handle once more to close the window. My cold hand wraps around the metal clasp of the handle.

Something grabs my wrist.


	4. Chapter 4

Grab.

A hand wraps around my tiny wrist, the grip getting tighter, wringing my arm. My wrist starts to burn, and I can just about feel my fingers as I struggle to get out. I pull back as hard as I can, but the grip just won't loosen. I use my free hand and feet to push against the windowsill, heaving myself backwards, but whatever this is that has hold of me, is brutally strong. I want to scream but I'm too terrified to even open my mouth. My eyes well up with the pain, feeling that my wrist is going to break, and the strength it's taking to try and wriggle out of the grasp. Suddenly I feel the hand squeeze tighter than ever before and I let out a tiny yelp, like a puppy, and I suddenly go limp, unwillingly. I am being held up by my wrist and I can't do anything about it. My body has just given up and now I am at the mercy of whatever this is that has it's hand wrapped around my wrist.

Push.

I am being shoved back into my room by someone. I trip over my own feet and start falling backwards. I fall almost in slow motion, trying to work out what or who this silhouette could be, that exerts such a force that is makes me fall. Panic starts to set in, so I shut my eyes and the speed of my fall quickens until my back makes direct contact with the carpet beneath me, which isn't as soft when you fall on it. I hit the floor. Pain surges through my spine and fear soon follows after. I think it's safe to open my eyes now, as time seems to be back to normal. No slow motion falling and fast landings.

I look up.

There is a tall shadow looming over me. I'm not certain who it is. They start walking further and further towards me, and I am paralysed for a moment. I've forgotten how to move. The shock and pain that is running through me has rendered me immobile for a split second, but then the reality of the situation becomes clear and I start scrambling backwards, as far and fast as I can, but the shadow moves at a steady pace. Whoever this is, they don't mind taking their time. They know I have nowhere to go.

I'm trapped.

I wedge myself up against the corner of my bedroom, and I try to get to my feet. My hand scrape at the walls, but I can't get a grip on the smooth wallpaper, my nails scratching and peeling the wallpaper off the walls in tiny strips. I can't get to my feet and I have no other option but to face whoever this is. I curl up into the tightest ball I can and hold my breath. The dark figure stops moving and just stands for a moment, towering over me. I feel so small I could disappear into the corner, and I wish I could so I didn't have to be here watching this stranger pausing in front of me. The figure steps forward so the light from my candle next to my bed illuminates their face.

It's Peter.


	5. Chapter 5

Shock.

I can't talk. I can't move. All I can do is stare up at this boy. I have waited for this moment for years. the stories I were told when I was younger were all true. He looks just as mother described him. My eyes are open wide and I wait for him to do something. I thought he was more playful than this. In the stories I was told, he flew around the room and laughed and played with his fairy friend Tinkerbell. They said nothing about him grabbing them and pushing them into their rooms, standing over them like he was going to kill them… Maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm special. Maybe he doesn't like me. Maybe I'm the girl that Peter Pan doesn't want. He probably thinks I'm too old. Well it's his fault for not coming sooner. He probably has other families to see. I bet he takes all the children to Neverland… But mother and granny both said he never did that. They said that we were just a special family.

Gasp.

He has a sharp intake of breath and I think he still could hurt me. He doesn't. He tilts his head to one side and I think he doesn't know if I'm the right person. Maybe I'm not. He probably wanted mother to go again or something. He must understand that we all grow up here in this world. I wish I wasn't here though. I wish he would just hold out his hand and take me away to Neverland forever. No growing up: That would be the best thing. I just want him to do something though, instead of just staring at me like this.

Hello.

The words come out of my mouth unbidden, and I feel like I want to button my lips together and never speak again. I sink slowly into the corner, wishing I had never opened my mouth. My face starts getting hotter and I feel my cheeks flushing. He was supposed to speak, not me! I was supposed to sit in the corner and listen to him telling me about Neverland and inviting me there and then all I would reply is 'Of course' and off we'd fly to the land where you never grow up… But no. Instead I was stupid and opened my big fat mouth to say hello. I mean 'hello' isn't exactly the best of things to say either. I could have said something witty or silly or funny or scary or… That's not the point anyway. The point is that I spoke and I wasn't supposed to, because now Peter Pan is looking at me like I'm mad. He knew he was supposed to speak first, and I knew it too, so why didn't my voice listen to that advice and SHUT UP!?

A hand.

He holds a single hand out for me. I want to take it. I want to leave it. I want to get up myself. I want him to help me. I want to sink away and hide. I want to go wherever he goes. I want everything but all I can do is slowly raise my hand and place it in his. No sooner are my fingers touching the palm of his hand, he closes his fist tight, squeezing my hand and yanking me up into the air. I see a sparkling dust falling all over me as he pulls me up: Tinkerbell! Peter Pan throws me into the air and lets go, so I shoot up and nearly hit my ceiling. I come crashing down towards my floor but I feel something pulling my nightgown. It's Tinkerbell and she's trying to stop me falling! I remember what my family have told me: I shut my eyes tight as I come falling down and take a breath in. 'I can fly. I can stop my fall' I repeat to myself in my head. It seems like hours before I finally open my eyes and realise that my nose is inches away from the floor and I've been hovering like this for ages. I raise my head and Peter is nose-to-nose with me, grinning. This is it. He's here. I am finally that girl.

The girl that Peter Pan remembered.


End file.
